8/13/2015

Made a reservation for a party of 6 on a Friday night and.....
-We sat right down at our reserved time
-Our waitress was awesome, especially with bringing us booze from our BYOB stash
-Regarding the above, there was no corkage fee and we brought a lot to drink
-The Shishito Peppers  were an excellent appetizer with a bit of a kick
-They had a special crab sandwich on the menu the night we were there, it was delicious, though it got soggy by the time I finished the first half
-The Truffle fries!!! Woah! Best thing I had the whole night. I am a sucker for fries though
-I don't personally like bread pudding, but all other 5 people at the table raved about how good it was
-The total bill for 5 apps, 6 entrees and 2 desserts was $220 which is VERY affordable

Will definitely be back here again.

7/23/2015

I'm a little surprised I really hadn't heard much about HB since it's a tiny spot in Boystown that features a menu that isn't exactly out of the ordinary.  That's when I sat down and read the menu, and found this in the appetizer section:

"Beer-Battered Asparagus"

Home Bistro does comfort food right, and the asparagus was no exception.  First, the damn things were huge--and they were mounted on one side of a large plate with a dipping sauce that was basically mayo and horseradish and a big egg that you broke to mix in with the other sauce.  This worked well.  The rainbow trout was my selection of an entrée and that also worked to perfection, although I would admit "perfection" included salted flesh, near-perfect potatoes and pickled red cabbage, which isn't something I look for typically.  My wife grabbed the mussels, mainly because she ALWAYS gets mussels if they are on the menu...the gobbling sounds of delight from across the table told me all I needed to know there, although the fries were not much better than McDonald's with an aioli that wasn't memorable.  (Of course, we downed all of the fries and nearly all of the aioli anyway...but, still.)

With tax and tip, we got out of this for $62.  How was that possible, with all of the entrees prices in the $20-and-up category?  BYO, my friends.  If you are gonna give me high-end food and the chance to bring my own wine, you and I will become very close, very quickly, so I have to give HB credit for making date night for the two of us so very worth it.

A La Card steered me here so we got $10 off of our meal...grab that deck if you haven't already!

7/17/2015

The only reason this restaurant is getting two stars instead of one is because of the pleasant atmosphere. Otherwise, I came with a party of 6 and no one, I repeat, no one liked their meal. Food was bland and unappetizing.

At this price point we were all supremely disappointed.

No thanks!

4/8/2015

Came to Home Bistro for Easter Brunch with some of my favorite Yelpers and two other friends. Seeing how this was my first day of drinking since Ash Wednesday I don't recall two much from this brunch after the 2nd of 5 bottles of champagne.

What I do remember is:
1) the excellent service we received from the moment we arrived
2) how they kept our bottles of champagne on ice as we plowed through them
3) how delicious the food was (I had the HB breakfast sandwich and it was damn good)
4) how affordable the dining experience was (my credit card statement showed I spent less than $23 dollars)

I will definitely be coming back to Home Bistro with my bottles of booze to enjoy great food, service and friends!

• 

  Bread Pudding French Toast

  Bread Pudding French Toast
• 

  Hash - can't recall which one :-(

  Hash - can't recall which one :-(
• 

  Han Breakfast Sandwich

  Han Breakfast Sandwich

7/15/2015

This place is pretty small and not eye-catching from outside. It's pretty dim and quite inside, which is good for a date dinner I feel. There are not overwhelming choices on the menu. We ordered fresh off the cod corn salad and red leaf lettuce salad! They taste pretty awesome except for they are a little bit too salty. But over all experience is positive in this restaurant:)

8/13/2015

I do not have a single bad word to say about Home Bistro. It is a charming little storefront that is easy to miss if you're not looking for it, but is absolutely worth your while. The host/waiter is incredibly friendly and helpful with any questions. The menu is incredibly diverse and intriguing. On my most recent visit, our waiter said they were out of the dates but those are the least exciting thing on the menu! I liked his joke and his honesty. Of all the things I've had: the escargot was absolutely to die for. Probably my favorite that I've ever had. The specials are always on point. I've had two specials that I wish were regular menu items. But that's the thing about Home Bistro, everything is so good and unique. I wouldn't hesitate to order a single thing. Plus BYOB is always great. I would give HB 100 stars and many return visits.

5/31/2015

Bravo! Home Bistro has moved into my top 5 places for dinner in Chicago. On a whim we decided to make a reservation since we were heading to an event down the street. We were able to secure a same day booking, which was nice. The space is cozy and ideal for small groups (less than 4, but ideally 2). While you could bring a large group, the place itself only seats around 50, so be careful.  

The menu is amazing. There were so many great options it was hard to choose what we wanted.In terms of our meal, we got he red leaf salad, fried oysters, Amsterdam muscles, and the pork shoulder steak special. The muscles came with a huge bowl of fries, which coincidentally went really well as an accompaniment to the pork shoulder steak. I had never seen pork shoulder (still with the bone) served like a steak, but I'd easily order it again. It was perfectly grilled with a creme fresh and strawberry compote on top. Very simple, yet highly flavorful.  

It's BYOB, so plan accordingly. There is a 7-11 across the street if you wanted to pick up something. If you bring wine and need it chilled, they can bring a bucket out for you table side.

There were only 3-4 front of house staff working, but it was perfect because HB is so small. They were all highly friendly and made a point to explain the entire menu, and check on us frequently. The food came out promptly after ordering.

Again, great work, Home Bistro! We will be back for sure. We will for sure be back to try the items we didn't get to sample. To me, this is the sign of a great chef and menu planner. Just seeing all the great things on the menu will bring us back. They don't need to advertise or anything, just keep offering great food at a reasonable price.

11/5/2014

Yowsa, this was one of the most delicious and flavorful dinners we have had in a while.  The flavors in every course were all so complimentary and distinctive.  To boot, we enjoyed the $33 pp prix fixe dining option on this Wednesday evening.  What was particularly nice for this prix fixe was that you pick whatever 3 courses you want from the regular menu, and it looked to be roughly a $12 pp discount.  It's also BYOB, and I brought in some FFF Gumballhead, but almost every other table had either wine or champagne it appeared (good for them, but beer was perfect for us).   So, I ordered up:

- Housemade corn dogs (not from the ballpark, but rather made of beef short rib)
- Braised beef cheek fettuccine
- Cranberry bread pudding

Wife ordered:

- Smoked eggplant appetizer
- Belgian endive salad
- Rainbow trout, which came with a fried egg (this was best course of all the very good ones we had).

The menu photo has a much better description of the courses.  The only minor knock was the fettuccine was slightly undercooked.  Otherwise, awesome meal and a charming venue.  This place is tiny (we counted 14 tables) and can get noisy when filled, but it would also be a great date night sort of place.  At regular prices, I would say it would be on the spendy side.  Server was Amy, and she was very friendly, attentive, and always had a nice smile.  She and the help were also very efficient.  The place has been around for 10 years, and it's high average 4.5 star Yelp rating for 700 reviews is well deserved.  FYI - I don't think there's any free parking in the area - it's standard metered $2/hour with the rest of the area looking to be permit parking.  Overall, great place to try at least once and highly recommended.

• 

  Cranberry bread pudding

  Cranberry bread pudding
• 

  Braised beef cheek fettuccine (their Cincinnati style chili interpretation)

  Braised beef cheek fettuccine (their Cincinnati style chili interpretation)
• 

  Rainbow trout, with fried egg (delectable!).

  Rainbow trout, with fried egg (delectable!).
• See all photos from Howard L. for Home Bistro

7/31/2015

Really incredible. cozy warm vibe with upbeat music so you won't fall asleep. Had the pork belly to start, was absolutely to die for. The waitress was friendly and laid back, pretty fun to engage with. Had a fried gnocchi dish and we also got the special fish stew.

7/9/2015

Home Bistro serves 5-star food at a reasonable price. Taste-wise, this restaurant is probably among the best in Chicago. What's more, every Wednesday, you can get a 3 course meal for just $33 (a $50+ value)!

The interior design is very unique too. I would call it cozy but quirky. Unfortunately, the restaurant is a bit small.

But the reason why Home Bistro doesn't get 5 stars is because of the service. I counted just one waiter, and if there were more waiters, it certainly feels like there's only one waiter. If service time were to improve with an additional waiter, then this would definitely be a solid restaurant.

5/30/2015

Definitely a 5 star experience! Hubby says this was his best meal ever in Chicago! It was for sure right up there with some of the best I've ever had. From the moment we walked in and were greeted by the lovely smiling hostess, I was feeling this place. We had made a reso and arrived before our other friends, but they went ahead and seated us which we appreciated. We had brought two bottles of bubbly and opened one right away....why hold off the celebration?? Our server, Dionne, casually floated by, took the one bottle to keep cold and brought us an ice bucket for the open bottle. More to come about this amazing "floating Dionne" to come....

Our friends arrived, with another 2 bottles of wine. We don't play. Anyway, Dionne came right over and took care of them as well...opened their one bottle and poured a couple of glasses for them. She then floated off to give us time to chit chat and settle in. In a few minutes, she returned, sat down next to me on the bench and proceeded to share the specials. We loved that Dionne felt comfortable enough to cozy up to us in this way. We are a pretty open and fun group, so it felt completely natural to have her on our level and just being real and down to earth in the moment.

So for starters we had the fried oysters, patatas bravas and the artichoke appetizer. Where do I begin??? The detailed preparation, mix of fresh flavors and presentation were beyond impressive! I can't even begin to explain the explosion of savory delight that occurred upon each and every bite of literally every dish. Unbelievable! I'm so serious!

For entrees the two guys got the buttermilk fried smoke chicken sandwich, with slaw and pickles. Ridiculous.....ohhhhheeemmmmmgggeeeeee they were like, "this is the best sandwich I've ever eaten!" And, for certain it was. The sandwich came with truffle fries. Now, I'm obsessed with truffle fries and these were hands down THE BEST truffles fries that have touched this mouth. Hubs was like, these fries are kinda white looking, so Dionne told him to try one to make sure they were done. He tried one and was floored with delight. They were perfect. So, get this, as we were going hard on our food and having great conversation, Dionne "floated" by again, slid between our friends and swiped a fry off my husbands plate! Lol it happened so fast and we were all like, did that just happen?!? We totally lost our shit and were laughing hysterically as Dionne stood back and winked! She became my hero at that moment. I realize a server can't get away with that kinda stunt with most people, but that she could read our vibe and have fun with us, made the experience one of my favorites ever!

I got the soft shell crab special....deliciousness. I'm an east coast girl originally so I could def appreciate this wonderful dish. My gf had the vegetarian dish with spatzel and cheese. It was also a delight. Dessert was next. Oh my oh my. We couldn't decide on one to share so we got all three. The panda cotta with lemon zest, pepper and salt. Sounds weird but was our fave. The bread pudding was incredible and the dark chocolate with walnuts and dried fruit was spectacular.

We will def be back...and often!!

7/25/2014

This is such a quaint little restaurant tucked away in Boystown. It's BYOB so make sure to bring a couple bottles to enjoy with your meal!

I decided to come here for my boo's birthday dinner. Based on the reviews and the fact that it was BYOB, I thought it would totally be worth a try. Even though it was a Tuesday night and there weren't many people in the restaurant (4 tables including our party), it took a while for the food to come out. Other than that, the service was very attentive and I can tell that they take pride in the dishes they come out with.

We ordered two of the specials that day, which was a pork tacos (definitely had a kick to it, so if you can't take spicy, beware!) and the pork loins with creamed corn. We also ordered the mussels, which were on the main menu. We both loved the pork tacos the best, mostly b/c of the spicy kick that it had along with the complementary flavors of the kimchi and Thai mango salsa. The mussels were pretty decent, not like the most amazing mussels I've had. By the time the pork loin dish came out, we were getting pretty full, so we actually only had a few bites of it and took the rest home.

Since it was my boo's bday, of course we got some dessert. They brought it out with a little lighted candle so that he could make a wish. What'd you wish for, honey? Your wish already came true when you met me! (Barf)

• 

  Pork lion and creamed corn

  Pork lion and creamed corn
• 

  Mussels

  Mussels
• 

  Spicy pork tacos

  Spicy pork tacos
• See all photos from Tina L. for Home Bistro

7/24/2015

Visiting Chicago from Los Angeles, and had a great meal here. I was still thinking about it the next day! I ordered a special, which was ricotta gnocchi with chicken, spinach, peppers, and blue cheese. It was amazing. I would definitely recommend this place and hope to go back.

5/20/2014

Step into Home Bistro (HB) and you'll be met by a friendly hostess and warm dining area. It's not big at all and expect to be pretty cozy to your dining party and those around you, as well. I love BYOB places and HB is one of them. Bonus points because they let us crack our bottles while waiting, even bringing out glasses. Once seated at our table, they provided buckets of ice to put our bottles in - a much appreciated gesture.

Service is spotty. We would go long periods of time without seeing our server and it always seemed to be when we needed something. Food also took quite a long time to come out. It was a Friday night and very busy so I understand but just a heads up not to expect a quick dining experience here.

When the food came out, all thoughts of an upcoming mediocre experience dissipated as my hunger pains were satiated by deliciousness. I had the Berkshire Pork Belly for $23. The pork belly sat atop a bed of german potato salad, house bacon, rhubarb butter, and marinated lacinato kale. The elements of the dish married well together and all melted in my mouth. It was a truly delicious dinner that I'd highly recommend.

Food is amazing at HB and I would love to go back to try more. It's a cute restaurant but gets very crowded and noise levels are through the roof with hit or miss service. All in all, a great place for dinner with friends having conversations & catch-ups with your BYOBs but may not be right for a date night.

• 

  Berkshire Pork Belly $23

  Berkshire Pork Belly $23
• 

  Housemade Chicken Sausage $22

  Housemade Chicken Sausage $22

5/27/2015 Updated review

I live super close and have gone for years. The food has waned over years and my dinner guest and I decided this was the last oppty HB had to wow us.

I left happy.

Grilled octopus (daily special) - meh, octopus was overcooked, carrots undercooked

Tapas-like potatoes - quite good after you stir it together (warning: it's VERY filling)

Duck breast - meh, didn't finish it

CHORIZO FLAUTAS Think 'a cross between a flauta and a somosa' with a heavenly garnish. While this dish still has growing to do, it was a surprisingly innovative dish with tremendous potential. Outstanding!!! I encourage the chef to take this just a little further...it will be his signature dish.

PANNACOTTA was even better. Very interesting in a yummy way. I heard the server say cardamom, but it was more elusive than that, in my opinion. The flavor was too hard to narrow down other than 'spice'. One of the most innovative - yet simple - desserts I've had in a long time. Bravo.

Note to restaurant (on the chance they read this): 5 year loyal customer, but visits are less frequent over time. Stopped to analyze it (over dinner with my guest) and decided it was because the menu is too slow to evolve. I can pretty much guess the menu before I walk in. Evolve, please. I want to experience new food. If the flautas and the pannacotta are an indication of what you can do, then don't hold back.

5/30/2014

So years after I should have tried HB, I finally get around to it now that I've moved back.  This place lived up to the hype in a city full of overhyped restaurants and bars.  

Small little place and definitely a little loud, but that's all worth the amazing food.  We started with the handmade pretzels and the beer cheese.  Omg, the pretzels were so warm and soft, and the beer cheese was absolutely perfect.  The consistency was so soft and creamy it was almost like a mustard.

We each had the specials tonight.  I had the gnocchi with pork belly, and a sort of relish sauce of garlic and other delightful ingredients that I can't recall because I was equally enjoying the fact that HB is BYOB. (no corkage fee).  My gf had the pork loin on a bed of polenta and spinach.  Also amazing.  Finally despite being stuffed we could not pass on the bread pudding.  It was good, although not the best I've ever had.  But between the starters, entrees, and great service this place is 5 stars easy.  Oh and the portion sizes were made for humans and not mice.  Definitely a plus.  Cozy, romantic, really a perfect date night.  Worth every penny.

• 

  Handmade soft pretzel and beer cheese

  Handmade soft pretzel and beer cheese
• 

  Pork loin w polenta, kale etc

  Pork loin w polenta, kale etc
• 

  Gnocchi w pork belly

  Gnocchi w pork belly
• See all photos from Kendrick W. for Home Bistro

5/25/2015

My first dinner in Chicago:

I forgot to make a reservation, but thankfully I called at 6 and made a reservation at 6:30 PM. Uber there and made it around 6:40 PM. It was no wait, small, loud, nice atmosphere, sweet waiter place.

We ordered the fried oyster for appetizers and then the roasted duck and pork belly for entrees. The fried oyster was alright, I know the special thing was supposedly the sauce, but not a big fan. Though the roasted duck and pork belly were fantastic. The roasted duck was crunchy on the skin and very flavorful. The pork belly just melts in your mouth, asparagus and risotto came with the pork belly and it was also very good. Thought I could tell that the taste of the pork belly and the duck was very similar, maybe same seasoning? But with the flavor of the meat itself is different, the dish tastes different enough.

Definitely will come back if I'm back to Chicago, gotta try their mussel and truffle fries next time.

9/29/2014

I initially found this because it is BYOB, and was pleasantly surprised to find out just how amazing all the food is. We ordered an array of specials, including the gnocchi, Eggplant Caponata, HB Caesar and the braised pork shoulder. Everything we had was so wonderful, and the atmosphere is perfect.

I absolutely agree with others who have gone on and on about the service. Perhaps the best casual service I've ever had, anywhere. Attentive, personable - they just made it look easy. Hospitality, they has it.

We enjoyed dinner so much, and this little neighborhood is darling. My brother and his husband put an offer on a house down the street the day after our dinner here, so I'm sure I'll get to come back sometime soon!

10/3/2014

Man, I wanted to like this place. It's BYOB as well so we brought some wine. Situated in Boystown, it's a very fun little neighborhood. Parked sort of near the ball park. Parking sucks in general in Chicago, hah.

Anyway, the food. We shared the beer battered asparagus (really good) with malt vinegar aioli and soft boiled egg and we shared a salad of the day.

For food, I got the salmon with melons and wheat berries. This was not pleasant at all. I thought I'd like the texture of the wheat berries but these flavors just did not mix well. It was just so odd...didn't like it.

My friend ordered a goat burger which was HUGE. It had a 'Mexican' flair with it but even those flavors didn't mesh so well. It was just not pleasant.

Overall, the experience was just okay, but for the price of the food, it really wasn't great. I'd go elsewhere.

7/14/2014

A friend of mine told me that if I only visit one restaurant in the ambiguously named Boystown/Northalsted/Lakeview vicinity, it needed to be HB (Home Bistro).  So off I went, on a cold and rainy Wednesday evening.

It might've been dismal outside, but the interior of HB is warm, cozy, and very inviting.  Lots of earthtones and oranges, mirrors, and candles whisk you off to a romantic villa somewhere on the Mediterranean coast.  Once I was seated, HB felt like a perfect refuge.

I lucked out by showing up on a Wednesday, since that's their prix fixe night -- $33 for 3 courses.  That's a killer deal for high-end cuisine in a high-rent district.

I started dinner with some hot tea -- perfect for keeping those Midwestern chills at bay.  (HB is a BYOB, so no booze on the menu -- sorry alchies!)

Course #1 was baby beet salad with honey ricotta, hazelnut streusel, and arugula.  I normally love beet-anything, but I didn't enjoy this salad at all.  The beets were totally undercooked (mostly raw in the middle), and all that raw earthiness clashed badly with the overly-sweet honey ricotta and streusel.

Course #2 was much better: pan-roasted Atlantic salmon with couscous, cucumber ralta, and strawberries.  The salmon was cooked perfectly, and the cool raita and sweet strawberries contrasted well with the fish.

The real highlight was Course #3 (dessert) -- bread pudding.  I get the impression that this is the specialty of the house, and for good reason.  It's moist and light and crazy flavorful, without overdoing it on the sweetness.  It's probably the best bread pudding I've ever had.

Service was very gracious and friendly.  Even though I was dining solo that night, the hostess and server made me feel like part of the family.

All in all, even though the food was inconsistent, there's still lots to like about HB.

• 

  bread pudding

  bread pudding
• 

  pan roasted Atlantic salmon

  pan roasted Atlantic salmon
• 

  baby beet

  baby beet
• See all photos from David G. for Home Bistro

6/20/2014

Make that reservation! HB (for "Home Bistro") was, well, a homey bistro with good food and a casual, charming vibe - not too many soft surfaces for noise absorption, but it never got distractingly loud.

For appetizers, the 4 of us shared artichoke fritters, pretzel rolls with beer cheese, and escargot. The other two were good, but gee golly, that escargot! My heart may have fallen a little when it was set on the table in a large bowl rather than drenched in butter/garlic/parsley in the typical escargot dish, but this thing way surpassed my expectations. Huge and very tender escargot had been removed from their shells and sat in a near-stew of tomato and mandarin orange. Not the most camera-friendly dish, but it tasted spectacular. Damn, that orange! If you eat nothing else here, eat this.

Two of my friends got lamb burgers and seemed to enjoy them enough. When I tasted the patty, it was gamey, lean, and not overdone with seasonings like most other lamb burgers. Don't order this if you don't deeply love eating lamb.

My rainbow trout (sustainably farmed in nearby Wisconsin = extra points!) was awesome, and reminded me of the lovely trout mullerin at Katja (yelp.com/biz/cafe-katja-…). Two large, thin, perfectly cooked filets shared the plate with rainbow chard, oniony and starchy shoestring potatoes, and a sunnyside-up egg. The different components were fun to eat.

I don't typically seek out "American cuisine," but I really liked this spot. And by my sad, sad NYC standards, entrees topping out at $25 is pretty great. BYOB makes it at least 6 times as great. Servers were tremendously competent and friendly and brought out different glasses for our different booze. We took full advantage (to the tune of 6 large bottles of mostly crafty beers... no corkage fee!) and it felt perfect.

12/11/2014

I rarely give a one star rating, but based on my visit Home Bistro earned it.  This was a major let down, because I searched through Yelp for about an hour before finally selecting this place.  The only positive was we were seated immediately despite it being pretty packed.  I love bacon wrapped dates and order whenever I find them on a menu.  Big mistake.. The dates were incredibly sweet in the worst way, not to mention topped with brown sugar.  I also ordered the short rib corn dogs.  Mistake number two..  I'm confident any freezer brand corn dogs would hold its own against these in a blind taste test.  They weren't terrible, but not distinguishable difference a standard corndog.

$25 into my meal and I was already experiencing buyer remorse, but I stayed the course in hopes of better entrees.  But wait.. Our server hadn't been to our table in quite some time, so our entrée orders weren't taken.  I found this to be odd because every other table I observed impeccable service and attentiveness.  No explanation, but true.  Rarely have I visited a restaurant where they allow water glasses to get empty, let alone sit empty for over 15 mins.

While waiting for our server to take our entrée order the busser noticed we weren't eating our apps & offered to take them away.  He also filled our water.  When our server returned, I reminded her to take our entrée order.  We opted for the trout and the short rib tacos.  After another long wait and no water, we finally received our food.  The tacos came with a side of refried beans, which were cold.  The corn tortillas were straight from the package. Not warmed.  The trout was overcooked and tepid.  My guess is our plates sat in the back for a while better coming out.  We picked at both dishes, but left 90% on both plates.  When our server found time to ask, I let her know we were disappointed and explained the misfires with each dish.  She offered no response.  No offer to remake or order a different dish..No offer to remove items from the bill.. No offer to notify the owner, who was onsite.  My friend's company hosted an event in the past and recognized him as he stopped by several tables, not ours.  

I requested the bill, paid in full (third mistake), left the food and went across the street to Wood.  In summary, HB has below average to mediocre over-priced food and inconsistent service.  In my top 3 worst dining experiences  of 2014..

• 

  Short rib tacos (special of the day)

  Short rib tacos (special of the day)
• 

  Rainbow Trout - sweet potato & horseradish puree, braised red cabbage, bacon gastrique, fried egg

  Rainbow Trout - sweet potato & horseradish puree, braised red cabbage, bacon gastrique, fried egg
• 

  Housemade Corn Dogs - beef shortrib mini-dogs, Cleveland Stadium Mustard, smoked tomato ketchup.

  Housemade Corn Dogs - beef shortrib mini-dogs, Cleveland Stadium Mustard, smoked tomato ketchup.
• See all photos from Christopher V. for Home Bistro

3/18/2015

Fried oysters are great and are a decent portion size when usually oysters aren't. Salmon is served cold and the pork belly is an amazing dish.

Different dessert than I was expecting when we ordered it, they were pieces of chocolate with cherries.

Friendly staff but not busy at all, but it was a Tuesday night when we went!

3/2/2015

Pork chop and bread pudding were bliss. Did the prefix on a Wednesday (3 courses for $33). Well worth it.

Will definitely return many times in the future.

5/29/2015

The main takeaway: excruciatingly slow service.

They have only one server + one water filler/greeter. The restaurant is not big, but the labor is clearly not enough.

The appetizer came fairly quickly, but 40 minutes after we finish the appetizer, the entrees are not coming for a table of TWO....by that time, we have finished eating the Hershey's kisses I could find in my purse (reserved for my toddler's emergencies). It is getting ridiculous feeling the table so empty for so long.  Other tables around us are also helplessly waiting. They didn't even have bread to help you to get over these long waits, which I expect from this not too modestly priced restaurant.

Finally, I got the server's attention and asked him to check the progress of our dish. He came back saying the chef needs another 5 minutes because the duck breast my husband ordered takes a LONG time to prepare. (I was thinking: gosh, just bring it, we can eat it medium rare.)

When the duck breast finally came: it is medium rare. It is pan-seared and it is rare!!!! It is obvious that this dish takes 5 minutes to prepare. Okay, why the server was not honest with us: sorry, the chef is so overwhelmed that he or she has forgotten to prepare your dish in the last 50 minutes!! We are not dumb!

The food is fine.  I ordered mussel with fries. The fries' texture is great but they lack salt so I asked for some, and the salt came in a little open dish, so I cannot sprinkle them at all without getting my fingers all in it. The appetizer portion is small: the baby octopus ($13) has three pieces of what taste like mother octopus to me. The overall experience was not good.

Some sincere advice for this place:

1. Hire more people
2. Prepare some bread so people do not starve while waiting for food

P.S. My husband added that the place is not romantic because it is quite loud with tables close to each other.

3/21/2015

Very impressed with the flavor of the food and the establishment itself. Great service, quick service; but the servings left me still feeling hungry.

Would suggest a starter or a larger dish to order. I had the vegetable squash entree.

6/5/2015

This place is a gem. The staff is extremely friendly. The ambiance is great and so is the food! Make a reservation on their website for easy booking!

4/25/2014

Intimate, cozy restaurant.

Braised Duroc pork shank ($23) - 4.5 stars. Sweet potato puree, cider-braised kale, house bacon, pear butter. The meat was so tender, no knife required.  Delicious purees & mashes. The kale's sweet acidity went well with the meat.

Lamb burger w/truffle fries ($20) - 4 stars. Lots of flavors in this burger. Good, but I'd rather order something else next time.

The restaurant space was a bit small with the tables close together, but overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere & food. It was packed the night we went, but the noise level was fine for conversations. Would go here again :)

• 

  Lamb burger with truffle fries ($20)

  Lamb burger with truffle fries ($20)
• 

  Braised Duroc pork shank with sweet potato puree, cider-braised kale, house bacon, pear butter ($23)

  Braised Duroc pork shank with sweet potato puree, cider-braised kale, house bacon, pear butter ($23)

2/26/2015

My relatives came to visit me for my birthday so I thought it was the perfect occasion to celebrate the reunion at a restaurant. I chose HB because I heard many good things about it. First of all, I was a little skeptical because I didn't want my family to be disappointed but we ended up having a great time.

The atmosphere was perfect for us, as the background music was cheerful and not very loud so that we could easily hold a conversation. The waiters were very polite and described the menu with patience so we never regretted what we ordered. When the food came we were surprised by the huge portions but everything was so delicious that we left nothing in our plates. I personally loved the seafood stew which was way better than what I had eaten in other restaurants. I also liked that although we stayed a lot of time laughing and talking, no one kicked us out after we finished eating. HB turned out to be the perfect choice for me and my family.

7/19/2014

This place has amazing food! Everything that each person got at the table tasted perfect.  I would definitely come to eat here again.

This place is cute and small, has it's own personality.  It can get a little loud and crowded as the space for the restaurant is a bit cramp.

The only reason I gave this place a 4/5 stars is because of the lack of customer service. The server took forever to stop by with the menus and barely if ever, checked on us.

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  My birthday cake dessert! Delish! I can't even remember what it was made of. But it was delicious!

  My birthday cake dessert! Delish! I can't even remember what it was made of. But it was delicious!
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  Rainbow trout-perfectly cooked!! Skin was light/crispy and tender and who doesn't love an sunny side up egg on top?!!

  Rainbow trout-perfectly cooked!! Skin was light/crispy and tender and who doesn't love an sunny side up egg on top?!!

10/7/2013 Updated review

If I go into a restaurant happy, and come out even happier, then that place deserves 5-stars.  I had originally made reservations for a Friday night at 6 p.m. online knowing fully well that there was no way I was going to make it in time with Friday traffic, but it was the only available slot.  So, I called HB, and David picked up to inform me that they were completely booked.  I told him about my situation, and he told me that he would call me back if someone cancelled.  I thought for sure I was not getting a table, but around 30 minutes later, someone miraculously cancelled, and David actually called me back to give us a 7 p.m. table.  So my friend and I made it there with amble time and a great parking spot.  The food was good and huge portions as usual.  David even came by to say hi to us.  Such a sweetheart.

1 star for good food
1 star for great service
1 star for reasonable prices
1 star for byob
1 star for making my friend and I happy campers!

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  Caramel Pannacotta

  Caramel Pannacotta
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  Mussels

  Mussels
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  Truffle fries

  Truffle fries
• See all photos from Patty C. for Home Bistro

2/15/2015

I went here last weekend for a friend's birthday. It's worth noting that I've been here several times prior to this visit and still keep coming back. It's a charming restaurant with a great staff and delicious food. Plus, the BYO option makes it really hard to beat. Great bang for your buck!

Do's
- Always order a starter. The food can sometimes take a while and the starters are all good I recommend the artichoke fritters or the bacon wrapped dates...
- Always ask whether they're close to running out of something, especially on the weekends. I can't tell you how many times they've told me, "oh we just ran out of this one..." It's devastating.
- Do visit the Paired Wine store right across the street before dinner and pick up a bottle of your favorite wine. It's a cute little wine shop and the staff is really friendly.

Don'ts
- Avoid coming here with large parties. I've made the mistake one too many times as they're a small venue and you always end up waiting 15-30 minutes past your reservation.
- Stick with the traditional American entrees. I made the mistake of ordering the Ramen one time and I was very much wishing I'd ordered a favorite like one of the beef cheek or pork shoulder dishes... It just wasn't quite the ramen you get at a traditional Ramen place and it wasn't as good as one of their other traditional dishes.

10/14/2013

The good: Great atmosphere. Dim lit and cozy, but not too cliche. Some great artwork and music to match. BYOB as well. Service was fast and friendly. The food is fantastic. The portions are a little a tad too small, but I'm a hungry guy. Still, everything was delicious.

The bad: The menu is great, but somewhat limited. All of the options are good, but there are only a handful of them. Also, the prices are somewhat high. A little bit more than what I would've liked to pay.

Overall: Great little restaurant in a great neighborhood. If you don't mind paying a little extra, it's worth it.

Atmosphere: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Food: 8.5/10

4/15/2014

Great place. Super friendly, relaxed staff, and it's just so cozy and cute. Had a great girls night here last week, and we enjoyed a long, TGIF-type ordeal.

Our food-
artichoke and edam fritters
almond-stuffed dates
maple bacon sandwich
trout
salmon
mussels
truffle fries

i tried everything but the maple bacon sandwich, and it was all wonderful! the almond-stuffed dates were especially delicious (and wrapped in bacon!) and in my opinion, the yelper who said their truffle fries are nothing special was WRONG because we liked them so much, we ordered a second bowl for the table.  the mussels were flavored with anise which gave it a nice twist. between those and the salmon and trout... it was a fun, seafood-y type of dinner.

don't forget to BYOB!

5/1/2015

I've been here twice and walked away very impressed each time. One of the better price points for a semi high end restaurant.

I'm not sure if it qualifies as a hidden gem since it is one of the most popular restaurants on Yelp in Lakeview but it is a restaurant that I regret not going to more.

9/1/2013

I was really excited to try this place based on all the good reviews, but I just wasn't impressed by it.  The restaurant is very cute and cozy, plus they're BYOB.  The service we received was great...but unfortunately the food was just not memorable.

We had the pork belly as an appetizer, and it was a bit salty and could have been more tender.  Also had the almond stuffed dates...also just okay. I believe that we had the pasta and some type of lamb dish for the entree. It might have been an off day for them, but I don't think I'll be coming back. It was a bit on the pricey side as well.

7/9/2015

WOW!!! Best brunch I'be ever had. I had the Kimchee, my friends had the chorizo and the breakfast sandwich. I tasted all of them and there wasn't a bad choice among us. Chill vibe, friendly owners. Great Place!

1/18/2015 Updated review

I'm over the tragic chic of moving a restaurant into an abandoned building and just getting rid of the rats! 5 on a Saturday night at opening and we were placed on the observation deck. (Display window) If your going to use that as a draw. Then you need to wash the windows. As I sat and watched the peeling paint on the walls, (Literally) I was expecting dinner to be an outstanding follow up to the brunch we had here. Right! It was 46 degrees outside and 60 inside. I went to wash my hands in the only washroom they had it was a mess. Cracked sink, I stepped on the toilet paper as I tried to close the door as it was so tight. I felt like I walked into the alley. And yes. It was even colder in the loo. Our server told us about the braised beef rib corn dogs. They came with a sweet chutney sauce. Delicious! I felt the need for some greens, so we ordered the Caesar. I love cheese. But the first fork full completely dried out my mouth. The cheese covered everything and was thicker on the bottom. It absorbed all the dressing. That really didn't seem like there was too much of to begin with. I had to take a drink with every bite. And the 4 white bread croutons were a joke! Ordering the meatloaf special, I thought was a safe bet. It was a salt lick on a plate. I could feel my heart racing with every bite. The kale that was severed with it, was marinated in vinegar which I love. But again. Too much of a good thing. As I brought the fork up to my mouth, the vinegar took my breath away as it was so strong. The service was great. But I didn't come here for that and as such, I will make better dining decisions in the future. Even the bartender at Sidetrack questioned our dinner choice before we came here.

4/25/2015

We met an out of town friend who was staying nearby and decided on the spur of the moment to try Home Bistro on a Saturday night. It was about 6 pm and even though we did not have reservations they found us a table for 3. The space is small, but charming and the service was very pleasant and attentive without being intrusive (which can be tricky in a smaller restaurant).

For appetizers our friend had the caesar salad and my husband and I had the artichoke and edam fritters with roasted garlic aioli.  The salad was a generous portion for a starter and the fritters were excellent- crispy on the outside and firm/creamy on the inside. The aioli was garlicky and really complimented the cheese of the fritters.

For entrees my husband had the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with a spicy sauce and pickles. It came with thin cut fries. He said it was crunchy and delicious.

Our friend had the mussels in a harissa spiced broth  with Belgian-style frites. The portion was very generous for both the seafood and the fries, but it was the harissa broth that really made this dish. It imparted a smokey, spicy essence to the mussels that lingered on the palate with just a touch of heat. There were enough mussels that he shared with me, even though they were so good he wanted to just keep eating!

I had the scallops with tamarind pico de gallo and again, everything was delicious. The scallops were perfectly seared on the outside, but not overcooked and the pico provided a slightly fruity heat. There was another brush of sauce on the plate but I can't recall what it was, but it complimented the seafood and pico. It was served on a bed of wild rice, but the rice did not overpower the main in any way.

For dessert we shared a thin slab of dark Belgian chocolate with dried cherries and red pepper. It was a perfect light finish to our meal, which left all of us totally satisfied. All the portions are very well calculated- generous, without being too much to finish, and seemed to align well with the pricing.

Home Bistro is BYOB/W but there is a Seven Eleven across the street with a reasonable alcohol selection and we just ran and got a bottle of wine to go with our meal. At first glance some of the menu pairings seemed a little unusual,but after the success of every dish we ordered, we will definitely be back to try some different items next time.

Sat right away on a Saturday night, good service, everything we ate was a winner and priced fairly- Home Bistro did everything right for us!

12/19/2014

This is my favorite neighborhood spot.  The food is amazing!  It's high quality, the flavors are unique and the menu is constantly changing.  

Since it's BYOB you can have an amazing 4 star dining experience for a fraction of the cost elsewhere.

This has become my local go to spot where I host celebrations, bring relatives and friends from out of town, or just go to enjoy a quite dinner.  Everyone has always loved it!  

I have dined in for the Wednesday night Prix Frix - what a deal!  
I have dined family style - this tiny restaurant does an amazing job serving large parties and making everyone feel so cozy.  & there was more than enough food brought out in the family style service.

Go to Home Bistro.   Bring a bottle of your favorite wine.  Have the almond stuffed dates.   It's a go to for any occasion!

3/5/2015

My boyfriend and I went on a Wed for their prix fixe special back in February 2014. It was a pretty slow night, with two other tables besides us. Service was ok, they took our orders and they brought our food out, nothing extraordinary. The food was what was really disappointing.

We ordered:

Apps: Smoked Eggplant and Escargot
Entree: Pork Loin special with house made giardiniera and Rainbow Trout with puree, braised cabbage, and egg
Dessert: Cardamon Panna Cotta and Bread Pudding

The apps were pretty good and so was the bread pudding.

The Rainbow Trout sounded interesting but it was just a bunch of random stuff paired together on a plate that didn't go well together (I always like to take a bite with a little of everything on the plate and it was not a good combination). My boyfriend didn't really care for the pork either, it tasted like pork with vinegar, and it was not worth the extra up charge for ordering the special.

Lastly, the Cardamon Panna Cotta was horrible, it tasted old, kind of like when you leave pudding in the fridge uncovered for a day and it gets that weird dried out gelatinous texture. There was no way that was freshly made. Also it was too heavy in cardamon flavoring.

Because there are so many good reviews, I'm not sure I came on an off day, or they slack on the food prep in the middle of the week. Perhaps some of the other items on the menu might have been hits, who knows, as I will not be back.

4/22/2015

Unique and elevated Quincy they squeezed my partner and myself in at the last minute for our anniversary appetizer was great the salads were incredible and almost too pretty to eat the entrées were delicious although the sides could've been warmer and the desert OMG so good!

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  Good food prompt service all the thoughts were hotter but the flavors were really really yummy.

  Good food prompt service all the thoughts were hotter but the flavors were really really yummy.

3/4/2014

5 stars for BYOB.  

5 stars for Service - Our waitress couldn't have been nicer.  

The food was good but nothing outstanding unfortunately.   The pretzels and the fried mozz for appts were good.  For dinner had the bacon sandwich which was good but nothing amazing.  

But that being said I would def go back for the ambience (cute date place), BYOB factor and great service!  

And close to Laugh Factory if you need a restaurant before a show.

11/22/2014

Three stars might be generous. I made a reservation here for a birthday dinner and my experience started kind of poorly when we were say 30 minutes after our reservation. Also, the hostess really didn't speak to us at all when we entered the restaurant.

After that service got slightly better, as our waiter spent a little time with us. However, the next problem came when they ran out of 3 of the items we ordered(there were 3 of us). No problem, there was plenty of good options on the menu so we picked something else.  Once we received our food everything was delicious, the gnocchi and chicken bratwurst were great, the patatas bravas even better, and pumpkin fritters for dessert!!  

Like I said food was great, but I probably wouldn't go back or recommend because of the service.

3/13/2015

I'm a fan of their BYOB brunch.  The biscuits and gravy were a little on the salty side, but overall moist and delicious!

1/19/2014

The BYOB aspect of this place pushes it to a solid FIVE STAR STATUS. PLUS they take reservations!

Our party of six girls had a reservation for 8 pm... and plans to go out after! Dolled up, and with a few bottles of wine tucked into a grocery bag, we strolled into the unassuming door located on the west-side of Halsted Street. A cozy, quaint room that appeared to be lit by candle light appeared before us.

We were seated within minutes and began analyzing the menu. Everything was tempting! Unfortunately they had already sold-out of the braised pork. This was not a game-changer for me as I had my eye on the seafood special.

We ordered 3 appetizers to pass around the table. They were pretty small, barely a bite per person. The beet salad was my favorite, BUT everything was awesome.

As soon as the appetizers were complete, the main course came rolling out- and mine was by far the most spectacular! There were TONS of muscles, some clams, and three large shrimp tucked away in this heaping bowl of amazing-ness.Garnish atop was some pickled-like apples and some other greens. I was skeptical about how they would play into a sea food dish...BUT they complimented it to a 'tee.' The broth was superb and once I was done with all the seafood and had all the shells stacked in a separate bowl, I discovered there was still more! There were these braised, short-rib maybe? nuggets of scrumptious meat underneath all the broth.

I tried some of the others' food. The Amsterdam Muscles had a strong anise flavor incorporated into it.  I think that flavor stood out more to me as it was a sharp contrast to the muscles I just digested. I helped finish whatever muscles they could not.

The gnocchi with meatballs had almost a dessert-like essence and had an infusion of cinnamon to go with. Also a fantastic choice.

We had dessert... I honestly cannot remember what we ordered. Must not have been that memorable. ;)

Will I return? You bet.

10/4/2014

Best thing I had... the croutons.

I am not saying the food is bad at all. In fact, it was good. However, competing with so many other fantastic restaurants can be tough. I understand. We had the the beef cheek and the braised pork shoulder. We had some kind of salad as well, but really, the croutons were the only thing that won me over. The beef cheek was good, I must say, but everything else seemed a little bland or like something was missing. I do have to mention that it is BYOB, which is fantastic and our server was very pleasant. However, I feel like I was a little disappointed with the meny. Maybe they change the menu every so often and it just wasn't for me this time. I would maybe give it another shot, and hope for the best.

12/21/2013

I went to HB Restaurant last night for the first time with my gf for date night.
It was just right.
The ambiance was intimate and the service was great.

The menu was amazing and had so many great looking things I wanted to try.

We got the almond stuffed bacon wrapped dates in brown sugar for appetizer and they were delicious.

For entrees we got the chicken thigh and pork shank which were perfect.

We will definitely be back.
It's BYOB which is even better.

1/9/2014

Simply excellent.   Great dining experience.  BYOB for the win.

I came here last month without a reservation.  I was surprised and delighted they were able to seat my date and I immediately.  The dining room is very small and intimate, to the point where you feel like you are seated in a private dining room.  

BACON WRAPPED DATES = incredible.

I ordered the House Smoked Chicken Thighs.  The chicken was melt-in-your-mouth, fall-off-the-bone perfect.  My date ordered the Braised Duroc Pork Shank.  It was also delicious.

The service was wonderful.  Our waitress was so nice and attentive.  She had noticed it took longer than usual for our appetizer to arrive, and very sweetly apologized and comped us for the price on our bill.  You don't see that kind of hospitality often, especially at Chicago restaurants.

I do not recommend it for large groups or for children due to the small space, but other than that, I really enjoyed Home Bistro and hope to return soon.  It is now officially one of my life goals to try everything on this menu.

3/1/2014

My husband and I were the first customers when we came here for brunch, so we were able to sit by the window; the bistro itself was very cute and quaint; clean, and very cheerful-like.  Both our server and the manager were extremely nice and friendly!  For appetizers, I ordered the side of the small bowl of Parmesan truffle fries and the Brown Sugar Bacon.  The Parmesan truffle fries were warm but I could hardly taste the truffle, even if it was a slight hint.  It came with a side of ketchup. The brown sugar bacon was not overly sweet, but I was a little disappointed as the bacon themselves were very thin and small.  For the main entree, I ordered the Uitsmijter, which was a Dutch-style plate, that came with two slices of brioche toast, ham steak that was 'griddle-seared,' edam cheese, one sunnyside up egg (my favorite way of preparation of eggs), and a light vinaigrette-dressed rocket leafed/arugula salad.  The brioche were thin, and the ham steak was quite thick - it was a nicely salted baked ham.  The salad was nice as it was very simple and fresh, and I liked the light vinaigrette dressing.  My husband ordered the Slow Braised Corned Beef Hash, which came with two eggs over easy and a buttermilk biscuit with strawberry butter in a little ramekin.  His 'corned beef' was more like my ham steak - thick slices and slightly underseasoned.  The strawberry butter was very nice and complemented well with the toast.  He did find a piece of wire in his dish, so that was a little unpleasant!  We were glad to check this restaurant out in Boystown! :D

+Uitsmijter
+check your dish for foreign objects! T___T

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• See all photos from Hannah H. for Home Bistro

1/18/2014

Very small, intimate restaurant. Service was great, they're very friendly and make a home-like atmosphere. Not good for big groups. Make reservations early! We went late and a few entrees were out already.

BYOB! No corkage fee.

Fresh food, good portion sizes. The Artichoke and Edam Fritters are a must for an appetizer, which we got for free because we waited even though we made reservations. We also ordered truffle fries on the side, which were pretty good, but DMK burger bar still has the best truffle fries I've had so far in Chicago.

The duck is amazing. Tried the salmon too which was cooked on point, crispy on top. Don't recommend the pork compared to the other two. I wanted to try the chicken but they were out. Too full for dessert, but I heard the bread pudding is a must have.

Overall good restaurant! I'd come here again.

12/11/2013

I was really pumped to try HB - as I had heard so many good things!  It's a really cute little place, I would suggest making reservations as it's not a big space and could fill up pretty quickly.

I tried making a reservation online, but the time I wanted wasn't available.  I called, and they were super cool about squeezing us in!  We brought a bottle of win for the 4 of us and started off with some fried oysters and homemade italian sausage.  They were both SO good.  This was the first time I have had fried oysters, and I've been craving them since.

For dinner I opted for the gnocchi, the other three got the trout, one of the specials, and the chicken thighs.  Every single person was satisfied beyond belief with what they had ordered.  OH! And we got an order of the truffle fries too.  I would recommend getting some to split, just because they're that good.

I love this little place and was really impressed with the quality of food- price point- and the friendly server and manager.

Excited to go back.

7/20/2014

truffle fries tasted like fries minus the truffle. I couldn't taste the truffle, and neither did anyone else in my party of 4. amsterdam style mussels were good, not great. keep in mind they include 2 anise stars in the broth, and if you don't like that taste, you can request it without or with just 1. we ordered the sauteed garlic and escargot appetizer (again, good but not great) and the artichoke and edam fritters, which was a bit dry but the aioli made up for it. however, I'm not sure if I would order them again because it lacked the wow factor. my lbcgt on 7 grain, a lamb-bacon cabbage green tomato sandwich, left me baffled. how can you eat a blt without the b? they later brought out the l-bacon on a separate plate and apologized for forgetting it. oh okay.

I have to admit, their service was on pointe. we were late for our reservations, but they held the table for us anyways. the polite waitress informed us about the byob policy and even gave us suggestions on nearest places to buy wine. the food came out rather quickly, and our glasses never reached half empty. impressive!

hb, thank you for having a great staff, but please make some adjustments to your food.

1/24/2015

Arrived on time for my reservation, was told, "Oh, it'll just be a minute," then waited 20 minutes and still wasn't seated. Place was really loud too, probably because they have too many tables cramped together. Finally left without any apology from the hostess.

3/1/2015

This place is amazing!  The food is very original and the specials are always good!  The wait staff is really nice and will help you find a place to grab booze to BYO just in case you didn't plan ahead!

10/27/2013

Ordered trout, bacon wrapped dates and chicken. One star given to food taste and environment. Terribly loud (music) in this small place, had to scream all night so friend and server could hear what I said. And I believe because everybody has to scream out so it makes it so much noise in the whole place. The unusual F word in my head whole night long.....had to get out as soon as we were done with the meal. I wish I could leave no tips!!

Sorry I'm not a fan.

1/20/2013

I was going to give it 4 stars but I find myself still thinking about the great meal I had here. It was absolutely delicious!

What we had:
Almond Stuffed Dates - Yes! Get them. They tasted like Christmas... get them and you'll know what I mean.
Coriander Crusted Salmon - probably the best cooked Salmon I've ever had. And this is a healthier option.
I'd recommend trying the Rushing Waters Rainbow Trout, we didn't have it but the table next to us did and they said it was amazing.
The Lamb meatballs were good, but not the most memorable dish of the night.

There's no wine/alcohol, but the waiter suggested we go to 7/11 across the street to get something as it's BYOB. We got wine and were perfectly content in saving money.

5/11/2015

Not as good as I expected and hoped for.  We had the buffalo fried sweetbreads, which we "meh", and one of them was EXTREMELY tough....we also had the artichoke and edam fritters, and the entire batch was undercooked....inside of fritters was all wet dough.  Entrees were the buffalo chicken sandwich and seared scallops....the element of the "smoked" chicken, really took away from how good the sandwich could have been.  The scallops were small and extremely salty, almost inedible......doubt we'd try it again.

2/13/2015

This place is SO GOOD! It's reasonably priced, with food that has variety. Staff is very nice, the restaurant itself is small so make reservations. It's also byob so grab a bottle of wine and go give it a try. One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago.

5/19/2015

Excellent meal! We all had different entrees that were all spectacular. The bread pudding was a great end to our meal. Also, it's a byob which is awesome!

6/18/2014

I was a little hesitant to come here at first because nothing on the menu screamed MUST TRY to me, but I came here with a couple of girlfriends on a Friday night because they heard rave reviews of HB and it's BYOB, which is always a plus. We decided to share the artichoke edam fritters and almond-stuffed dates as appetizers and they were really tasty! The fritters were nice and crispy and the almond stuffed dates were wrapped in bacon and covered in brown sugar so they salty yet sweet and really hit the spot. My friends ordered the maple bacon sandwich, rainbow trout, and coriander crusted salmon and I split the "Amsterdam Style" mussels with another friend. My friends' dishes were really good from the bites that I stole, but I didn't really like the mussels dish. They were seasoned with anise, which was really off-putting to me because I'm used to that smell and taste when I eat my parents' pho and was rather disappointed that I was eating mussels instead. Luckily, the dish came with truffle fries that were fried to perfection and came with a garlic aioli dipping sauce, which I'm a HUGE sucker for. They were so delicious that our table asked for another order!

Overall, I thought the ambiance of the restaurant and quality of food was great even though I didn't really care for my mussels. I definitely hope to return in the future since their menu changes seasonally and everything we ordered was well-prepared, homey, and delicious!

10/7/2012

What's in a name? In this case. A lot. HB stands for Home Bistro.
You get the bistro vibe from the stylish decor, candlelight, and elegant furnishings. The Home aspect that it's so small, cozy, and the service is very welcoming and never contrived, rushed, or executes missteps.
The establishment epitomizes both names.

And did I mention it's BYOB?

I've been here several times and it's always consistent. I'm by no means a Dutch food expert but it seems authentic with a contempory twist. Since I've been several times I will only highlight my faves:

The bread
Don't laugh, it's good and you'll need it later to sop up some of the sauces.

Almond stuffed bacon wrapped dates baked with brown sugar
A must order! Unless you're a vegetarian or have dietary restrictions; then order and give to me, then get the hell away.

Amsterdam style mussels in beer broth, anise, dried basil, garlic and served with truffle frites.
Their signature dish. It's good. The portions are large.

Trout special with veggies and I believe cous cous or risotto/rice
He found the portion small and the flavors monotonous. I liked the taste and presentation.

The menu is small and specials change quite often. I feel for me there's an element of risk ordering since some items seem exotic. Further, it'd be difficult to ask for substitutions with out fear you'd destroy the integrity of the dish (since most are complex).

However, I recommend it as an adorable spot for a date or friend session. And like that they take nicer and unique cuisine and present it in an accessible way.
Lives up to the name!

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  10/6/12

  10/6/12
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  Specials 10/6/12

  Specials 10/6/12

5/10/2015

The food was amazing here.  The restaurant is tiny, but honors reservations which makes it convenient to get into.  Friendly staff.  Excellent service.  Definitely worth a return.

2/20/2015

I very much enjoy this place. Their dinners are delicious and I personally love the Truffle oiled fries. And I do like that I can bring wine to dinner. As a BYOB establishment...they are very gracious to open the bottle for you. Highly recommended based on my great experiences.